Our Investment Team

Pekin Singer Strauss is a research and investment-driven firm, with eight CFA charter holders on the investment team. Our investment professionals are analytical, contrarian, value-oriented, independent, and intellectually honest. To identify attractive investment opportunities for our clients, our team works hard every day uncovering and exploring new ideas, challenging one another’s investment theses, and following our portfolio companies.

Neeraj Bahl, CFA

Neeraj has been a research analyst for Pekin Singer since joining the firm in 2008. Prior to joining the firm, Neeraj gained operating experience in the energy sector in operations management and trading management for a global integrated energy company. Neeraj received a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Illinois and an MBA from the University of Chicago.

Matt Blume, CFA

Matt is a portfolio manager of private client accounts at Pekin Singer, and he also manages the firm's shareholder activism efforts. Prior to joining the firm, Matt was an investment advisor for Cornerstone Asset Management. He earned a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Valparaiso University and is currently enrolled in the MBA program at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management.

Brandon Hardy

A shareholder of the firm, Brandon is a Senior Vice President and portfolio manager of private client accounts. Brandon joined Pekin Singer in 1997 and has been managing client portfolios since 2000. Prior to joining the firm, Brandon worked in the trust services department at Northern Trust. Brandon received a BS in Finance at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.

Alexander Kuznetsov, CFA

Prior to joining the firm in 2016, Alex worked as a VP of investment banking services in Kazakhstan at Aton, one of the oldest investment groups in Russia. Prior to that, he worked in corporate finance at Samruk-Kazyna, the sovereign wealth fund of Kazakhstan. Alex began his career at Renaissance Capital, a leading emerging markets investment bank, in 2008. He earned a BBA from the American University of Central Asia and an MBA from University of Chicago.

Bill Pekin, CFA

A shareholder of the firm, Bill is a Senior Vice President and portfolio manager. Bill has been managing money for Pekin Singer clients since joining the firm in 2001, and he is also a portfolio manager of Appleseed Fund. Prior to joining the firm, Bill worked in investment banking and research analysis at Credit Suisse in Chicago and at Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette (DLJ) in New York. He earned a BA from Haverford College and an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Shaun Roach, CFA

Prior to joining the advisor in 2014, Shaun spent five years at Deloitte Financial Advisory Services assisting clients with valuation needs related to financial reporting, tax compliance, and strategic planning. Shaun began his career at Deloitte Consulting as an actuarial consultant. He received a B.S. in Actuarial Science and Finance from the University of Illinois in May 2005 and an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

Adam Strauss, CFA

A shareholder of the firm, Adam has been managing money for Pekin Singer clients since joining the firm in 2004, and he is a portfolio manager of Appleseed Fund. Prior to joining the firm, Adam served on the management teams of EquipNet, a business services company, and Frontier Co-op, a natural products company. Adam began his career as a management consultant, working for Gemini Consulting and Andersen Consulting. Adam received his BA and MBA degrees from Stanford University.

Joshua Strauss, CFA

A shareholder of the firm, Joshua has been managing money for Pekin Singer clients since joining the firm in 2004, and he is a portfolio manager of Appleseed Fund. Prior to joining the firm, Josh held positions in research analysis and business development, including as Director of Business Development at Color Kinetics and a role as a Research Analyst at Shearman & Sterling. Josh earned a B.A. in Foreign Affairs from the University of Virginia and an MBA from the University of Michigan.

Josh Valliere, CFA

Josh provides analytical support to the firm's private client portfolio managers. Prior to joining the firm in 2015, Josh held advisory and client facing roles at JP Morgan Asset Management. Josh earned a B.S. in Accountancy from the University of Illinois and is a CFA Charterholder.

Business Operations and Compliance

Jennifer Baltazar

Prior to joining the firm in 2011, Jennifer worked at a variety of financial institutions in an operations and client support capacity. Her prior roles include Portfolio Administrator at Holland Capital Management and Mesirow Financial. She started her career at Pekin Singer as Junior Portfolio Accountant, and became a Senior Portfolio Accountant in 2015.

Sharon Bowler

Prior to joining the adviser Sharon worked in financial services across numerous functions, including client service. Her roles included an Investor Services Associate at Citadel Solutions, managing all aspects of the subscription/redemption process for multiple hedge fund clients and their investors, and a role at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange working in their membership services area.

Troy Cam

Prior to joining the firm in 2013, Troy worked as a trader and in portfolio analysis. His prior roles include Head Trader at Mid-Continent Capital LLC in Chicago and Portfolio Analyst at Franklin Templeton. Troy has a B.S in Mechanical Engineering from Kettering University and an MBA from the Monterey Institute of International Studies.

Jennifer Dunlap

Prior to joining the firm in 2012, Jennifer worked in financial service roles across risk, operations and management. Her prior roles include Senior Director, Head of Member Services for The New Orleans Exchange, and Manager, Client Support Team serving institutional clients while at Morningstar Inc. Jennifer received a B.A. in Sociology with a Law concentration from DePaul University, and a Master of Business Administration in Finance and International Business from Loyola University, Graduate School of Business.

Patrick Herrington

A shareholder of the firm, Patrick joined the firm's management team in 2014 and is responsible for managing all the compliance and business operations at Pekin Singer. Previously, Patrick served as Chief Operating Officer of Multi-Manager Solutions at Northern Trust Asset Management and as a senior manager at Deloitte Consulting. Patrick earned an MBA degree from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan and a BS degree from the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University.

Karen Pratt

Prior to joining Pekin Singer Strauss in 2005, Karen worked in various client service and executive administrative functions. Prior roles include Executive Administrative Assistant at Lincoln Equity Management and Office Manager at Chase Supply Company. She received her AAS degree from Robert Morris College.

Colin Rennich, CFP

As Director of Sales Colin is responsible for marketing the Appleseed Fund and additional products to the institutional marketplace. Prior to joining Pekin Singer in 2012, Colin worked in institutional sales at Principal Financial Group. Colin began his career in the securities industry at Ameriprise Financial as an investment advisor. He earned his B.S. in business management at Purdue University, and holds a FINRA Series 7 Certificate. Check Colin's background on FINRA's BrokerCheck

Annie Rijks

Annie joined the firm in 2008 and is currently a Trader, Portfolio Accountant, and investment support analyst. Prior to joining Pekin Singer Strauss she worked in film production at the Goodman Theater in Chicago, and was an Improviser for ComedySportz. She received a BA degree in Theater from the College of Santa Fe.